A “virtual machine” or VM is a processor which exists as a software construct, as opposed to a hardware processor. The VM also features memory and one or more I/O devices, as well as a control unit and one or more channels. Virtualization permits an operating system to be run by a non-native hardware system, as well as providing flexibility with regard to the number of entities operated by a single hardware platform. Multiple VMs may be operated by a single hardware computer, such as a mainframe for example. A VM may thereby provide flexibility in terms of providing multiple processors without requiring the purchase of specific numbers of hardware devices. Furthermore, VMs are useful for supporting operating systems such as LINUX on mainframe hardware, thereby permitting the same software operating systems and hence the same software packages to be operated across a plurality of different hardware platforms and configurations.
Currently VMs may be implemented according to one or more software support systems, such as the z/VM OS (operating system) running on the IBM System z for example. However, these software support systems do not provide a simple, intuitive interface and management control. Instead, specialized knowledge of the z/VM operating system and of the IBM System z hardware is required in order to operate the virtual machine solution, for example.
This situation may be contrasted with that of network management software for managing networks of hardware devices, which does provide a simple, intuitive GUI (graphical user interface) with much of the work automated. For example, software such as HP OpenView (Hewlett Packard) can automatically discover new network nodes, enable users to update permissions and/or tasks for various computers on the network and so forth. However, these software packages are only operable for networks of actual hardware devices connected in a network; they do not work for the virtual environment.